Andrea Jameson
Contributing Writer
[email protected]

Murray State professor of music Stephanie Rea uses YouTube and Spotify to share her music as well as tips about flute playing which has been helpful to students because of  COVID-19 and the lack of in-person instruction. 

“My channel consists of videos for flute musicians, particularly beginners through the collegiate level,” Rea said. “My channel allows students to play better and work on skills that can also be practiced at home. 

Rea spends her quality time posting tutorials on her channel. Some of those videos include fundamental flute exercises and recordings of previous performances for students to look over outside of class. 

Rea started her YouTube channel in January 2020. She has over 600 views on the channel so far and over 1,000 listeners on Spotify. 

“My channel is organized into playlists for musicians and music students by category,” Rea said. “My current students use it as examples of good musicianship and flute playing.” 

Rea said her music career began with performing for money. In high school, she played the flute for weddings, receptions and church gigs. Rea also gave teaching lessons to help maintain a stable career path. 

Rea, who began pursuing her music career in 1996, earned her doctorate of music in flute performance at the University of Florida State. 

Rea continued to take jobs playing at churches or teaching lessons before she started teaching on a collegiate level.

“Before coming to Murray State in 2000 I taught for one year as an adjunct faculty member at Columbus State University,” Rea said. “Fate had its way for me at Murray State.” 

The YouTube channel and Spotify playlist concentrate on tutorials for students to play when practicing at home. The most popular video is “Melodische Etüden Op. 110, No.1 by Kaspar Kummer,” an audition piece for students to practice for the Quad State Music Festival. 

“I started recording for Spotify at Murray State in 2004,” Rea said. “It is newly released with tutorials for flute players ranging from beginner to expert.” 

Rea said most of the music on her playlist is recorded in the Farrell Recital Hall, the performing arts building or her office. 

The videos on Rea’s channel include a mixture of finding the basic tone of a flute, interval slurs for expression, creating vibrato, soft exercises and harmonics for control and flexibility. 

Today Rea still does solos, church jobs and gives lessons to students.

“The most important part about playing is being a professor,” Rea said. “I don’t do nearly as much performing as I once did because I have children, and COVID-19 [makes it difficult],” Rea said. 

Rea keeps her YouTube channel updated to help students who are willing to practice outside of the classroom. Her channel was not intentionally made because of COVID-19 but the students are using the videos Rea makes to their advantage during this time. 

Rea encourages her students to work hard, play hard, do their best, stand for what they believe in, be reliable and be someone who others want to work with. 

“Never stop learning,” Rea said. “Find things that inspire you and make your dreams come true.” 

Rea provides more information about her YouTube channel and Spotify on her website www.stephanierea.com.